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Two additional days to be added to written examination timetable from 2019 to minimise examination clashes

The Minister for Education and Skills, Joe McHugh T.D., today (19 December, 2018) announced that two days are being been added to the Leaving Certificate written examinations timetable from June 2019.

The additional days allow for new scheduling options for examinations, which are intended to minimise clashes for students and promote the wellbeing of students sitting exams.

The revised schedule follows the addition of Politics and Society to the Leaving Certificate examinations timetable in 2018 and it is also being made in anticipation of Physical Education and Computer Science being added in 2020.

The Leaving Certificate examinations written timetable has traditionally been for a 13-day period, starting on the Wednesday after the June bank holiday. The addition of two more days brings the total examination period to 15 days, with the final date for examination in 2019 being Tuesday, 25 June.

Speaking during a visit to Our Lady of Mercy, Drimnagh, Dublin, Minister McHugh said: “I am delighted to be able to announce the revision to the Leaving Certificate timetable from next June.

“The State Examinations Commission has worked to determine what examinations should be moved from their traditional day in order to give students the best chance in their exams.

“I am confident that the small number of students who may have to sit three examinations in a single day will be significantly reduced as a result of these changes.

“The change is about trying to ease pressure. From talking to Leaving Cert students I hear how the exams play on their minds and any changes that we can make to ease that are really welcome.

“The State Examinations Commission will also continue to be mindful of changes in students’ subject choices and how the exams and the timetable should be set to minimise clashes and limit unnecessary stress.”

The 2018 timetable had 35 curricular and 18 non-curricular language subjects timetabled during 26 examination sessions over a 13-day period. The new timetabling arrangements allow for 30 examination sessions over a 15-day period.

No exam has been scheduled for the afternoon of day 15 in the June 2019 timetable. From 2020, this session will be used to facilitate the placement of new examinations.

The new extended timetable has been designed to alleviate pressure on candidates by eliminating subject clashes as much as possible.

There has been a particular focus on ensuring that there is only a minimal chance that a candidate will have to take three examinations on one day.

However, given the timeframe in which the written examinations are held, even taking account of the extra days, the number and duration of the examinations, and the wide subject choices available to candidates, it is not possible to guarantee that a situation will not arise which will require a student to undertake three examinations on one day in 2019 or in a future year.

The addition of two days to the Leaving Certificate written examinations timetable has resulted in changes to the day and times of a number of subjects.

In previous years many students taking the 18 Non-Curricular Language subjects, Hebrew Studies and Ancient Greek experienced timetable clashes as these subjects were always held at the same time as other Leaving Certificate subjects. The Non-Curricular Languages, Hebrew Studies and Ancient Greek have been given their own session on the new timetable.

The full list of subjects impacted for next year is set out below:

Subject

From (2018 Date)

To (2019 Date)

Agricultural Science

Day 9 AM (18/6)

Day 9 PM (17/6)

Accounting

Day 9 PM (18/6)

Day 11 PM (19/6)

Design & Communication Graphics

Day 11 PM (20/6)

Day 12 AM (20/6)

Economics/Agricultural Economics*

Day 12 AM (21/6)

Day 13 AM (21/6)

Italian

Day 13 AM (22/6)

Day 14 AM (24/6)

Russian

Day 7 PM (14/6)

Day 14 AM (24/6)

Classical Studies/Latin*

Day 8 PM (15/6)

Day 14 PM (24/6)

Technology

Day 13 AM (22/6)

Day 14 PM (24/6)

Arabic

Day 5 AM (12/6)

Day 15 AM (25/6)

Japanese

Day 13 AM (22/6)

Day 15 AM (25/6)

Politics and Society

Day 11 PM (20/6)

Day 15 AM (25/6)

*Mutually exclusive subjects in accordance with the Rules and Programmes for Secondary Schools.